Teachers' Participation in an Online Professional Learning Community and the Influence on Self-Efficacy and Instruction

Restivo, Paul

ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Walden University

Research indicates that high school journalism teachers, whose tenures are about half of those of teachers who teach math, science, English, or social studies, may experience detachment and isolation from a lack of collaboration with fellow teachers. Accordingly, this phenomenological study investigated perceptions of high school journalism teachers' self-efficacy toward their own teaching after their shared experiences in an Internet-based professional learning community (PLC). The research questions explored how the participants' shared experience related to their own sense of personal efficacy and their beliefs about how that shared experience changed their instruction. Data, which was collected throughout one 3-week instructional unit, consisted of online reflective journals, online discussions, and a post-study survey. Moustakas's approach to phenomenological analysis was applied to extract common themes among participants' discussions and reflections. These themes revealed a perceived increase in perceived personal efficacy and engagement while participating in the PLC. This improvement was evident through discussions of improved teaching strategies and techniques, reported improvement in student learning, expressed willingness to help peers improve their practice, and also recruiting other teachers to be part of the online PLC. The study aligns to other research that indicates how a person perceives his or her job determines largely how that person engages that job and coworkers. This study can help journalism teachers and other elective teachers move toward more meaningful collaborative approaches. The study can contribute to social change by informing virtual alternatives to building-level PLC approaches, and thus empower groups of teachers who may not benefit from current practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]